A handful of articles came out about ADHD/ADD on the days prior to the passing of SC ruling on Healthcare. I feel the bigger picture crowded out those articles.
As it is no secret that ADHD and narcolepsy share some prescriptions, here are a few points I would like to share from LifeWithADD.org.
1. On Yahoo! News' Does Your Child Really Have ADHD, the article speaks of the effect lack of sleep has on children with ADHD. It also warns of how a misdiagnosis of ADHD "can be problematic when one considers the fact that medications used to treat ADHD, like Vyvanse and Ritalin, are stimulants and can cause insomnia."
Also, a lot of the comments on the article debunk ADHD as a "fictional" illness, that it was only "invented" as a policy of accommodation for lack of parental discipline. (I had no choice but to leave my comment defending ADHD does exist!)
2. A few articles on how early ADHD treatment may improve school performance.
3. But on the other side, there were also a plethora of articles on teenagers' abuse of stimulants for good grades especially drugs for ADHD and narcolepsy.
What effect do these have on the plight of those who really suffer from ADHD/ADD?
I could name a few.
1. Abuse of ADHD medication fuel the argument for those who deny ADHD exists. "Regardless of blame for ADHD prescription abuse, its proliferation has delegitimized the realities of those who suffer from the disorder," reads the article Adderall Abuse in College Students Harms Those Who Actually Have ADHD.
2. It sets back efforts of those who search for real solutions to the problem.
3. It endangers the life of those who suffer and those around them. Drug abuse may cause shortage. It will be interesting to read how ADHD drugs shortage comes during major exam periods.
4. Proliferation of fake drugs. See my previous post FDA Issues Warning Over Fake ADHD Drug.
5. It jacks up the price for these drugs.
I am sure you can come up with more. Fire away on the comment thread below and let us send a message how we feel about it.